Pretending to Do (-ㄴ/은/는 체하다)
Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds
Use -ㄴ/은/는 체하다 to describe someone acting as if they are doing something they aren't.
- Use -는 체하다 for present tense verbs: 자는 체해요 (pretending to sleep).
- Use -ㄴ/은 체하다 for past tense verbs: 먹은 체해요 (pretending to have eaten).
- Use -ㄴ/은 체하다 for adjectives (less common): 예쁜 체해요 (pretending to be pretty).
Overview
The Korean grammar pattern -ㄴ/은/는 체하다 (romanized as -n/eun/neun chehada) is an essential tool for describing the act of pretense. It conveys that a subject is feigning a state, action, or quality that is not genuine. This expression captures the deliberate disconnect between internal reality and external performance.
You use it when someone is consciously putting on an act for an audience, whether that audience is one person or a crowd. At its heart, it is the grammar of performance, allowing you to describe someone acting as if something is true, when it is not.
For a B2 learner, mastering this pattern moves beyond simply stating facts into the realm of describing social dynamics and psychological states. It's not just about lying; it can encompass social niceties, face-saving maneuvers, and strategic deception. For instance, pretending not to hear a question you don't want to answer (못 들은 체하다), feigning interest in a boring story to be polite (재미있는 체하다), or acting tough when you are actually scared (강한 체하다) are all expressed with this pattern.
Understanding -ㄴ/은/는 체하다 is understanding the grammar of social theater, a concept deeply relevant in a culture where 눈치 (nunchi), or the ability to read a social situation, is highly valued. This pattern gives you the vocabulary to talk about the times when what you see is not what you get.
How This Grammar Works
체 (che), which means "pretense," "appearance," or "show." A bound noun (의존 명사, uijon myeongsa) cannot stand alone; it requires a preceding modifier to give it meaning. This is similar to other bound nouns you may know, like 수 in 할 수 있다 (the way to do something) or 줄 in 할 줄 알다 (the method of doing something).하다 (hada), meaning "to do," is then attached. The literal translation becomes "to do a pretense of [verb/adjective]." For example, 아는 체하다 literally means "to do the pretense of knowing." This construction makes logical sense: you are performing an action (하다) of maintaining an appearance (체).-ㄴ/은/는 척하다 (cheokada). For most conversational purposes, they are interchangeable. Both 자는 체했어요 and 자는 척했어요 mean "I pretended to be asleep." However, a subtle nuance exists that becomes more important in formal contexts or writing.체하다often feels slightly more formal, literary, or even a bit more negative. It can carry a stronger sense of a deliberate, sometimes elaborate, deception. It is more likely to be used in written narratives or when describing a more serious act of pretense.척하다is the more common of the two in everyday, casual speech. It's the default choice for most situations. If you are ever in doubt, using척하다is almost always a safe bet.
슈퍼히어로인 척해요 feels more natural. If a politician is systematically pretending to be a man of the people to win votes, 서민인 체한다 might be used by a news analyst to describe the calculated nature of the act. As a B2 learner, you can use them interchangeably in speech, but recognizing that 체하다 can carry a more formal or weighty connotation is a key step toward advanced fluency.Formation Pattern
-ㄴ/은/는 체하다 depends on two factors: the word type (verb, adjective, or noun) and the tense of the pretended action. The tense of 체하다 itself is conjugated separately to reflect when the act of pretending occurred.
-는 체하다 | 먹다 (to eat) | 먹는 체하다 | To pretend to be eating |
-는 체하다 | 공부하다 (to study) | 공부하는 체하다 | To pretend to be studying |
-ㄴ 체하다 | 보다 (to see) | 본 체하다 | To pretend to have seen |
-은 체하다 | 읽다 (to read) | 읽은 체하다 | To pretend to have read |
-ㄴ/은 form, which functions like a present tense modifier for adjectives.
-ㄴ 체하다 | 아프다 (to be sick) | 아픈 체하다 | To pretend to be sick |
-ㄴ 체하다 | 바쁘다 (to be busy) | 바쁜 체하다 | To pretend to be busy |
-은 체하다 | 괜찮다 (to be okay) | 괜찮은 체하다 | To pretend to be okay |
있다/없다 | Stem + -는 체하다 | 재미있다 (to be fun) | 재미있는 체하다 | To pretend something is fun |
있다/없다 adjectives are exceptions and conjugate like action verbs in the present tense, taking -는.
-이다 and conjugate it. This pattern almost always uses the form 인 체하다.
인 체하다 | 학생 (student) | 학생인 체하다 | To pretend to be a student |
인 체하다 | 부자 (rich person) | 부자인 체하다 | To pretend to be rich |
체하다)
[modifier] 체하다 acts as the main verb of the clause. You conjugate 하다 to reflect when the pretending happened.
When To Use It
모르는 체하다: To pretend not to know. This is a cornerstone phrase. You can pretend not to know a person, a fact, or a secret.- 예: 저를 보고도 모르는 체하고 그냥 지나갔어요. (Even though they saw me, they pretended not to know me and just walked past.)
못 본 체하다/못 들은 체하다: To pretend not to have seen/heard. This is classic avoidance.- 예: 엄마가 부르는 소리를 못 들은 체하고 계속 컴퓨터 게임을 했습니다. (I pretended not to have heard my mom calling and kept playing computer games.)
아픈 체하다: To pretend to be sick. A classic excuse.- 예: 학교에 가기 싫어서 아픈 체했어요. (I pretended to be sick because I didn't want to go to school.)
자는 체하다: To pretend to be asleep.- 예: 밤에 아버지가 방에 들어오셨을 때 저는 자는 체했어요. (When my father came into my room at night, I pretended to be asleep.)
행복한 체하다/괜찮은 체하다: To pretend to be happy / to be okay. This is often used to describe someone hiding their true sadness or pain.- 예: 이별 후에 그는 우리 앞에서 괜찮은 체했지만, 혼자 있을 때 많이 울었대요. (After the breakup, he pretended to be okay in front of us, but I heard he cried a lot when he was alone.)
잘난 체하다)잘나다 means to be handsome, great, or distinguished, so 잘난 체하다 means to act like you are all that.아는 체하다: To pretend to know. This can mean feigning knowledge about a topic you are ignorant of. It can also mean to greet someone you know (literally, to act like you know them), but this usage is less common and can be confused with the pretense meaning.- 예: 그는 경제에 대해 잘 모르면서 항상 아는 체해요. (He always pretends to know about economics even though he doesn't know much.)
잘난 체하다: To show off; to act arrogant.- 예: 신입사원이 너무 잘난 체해서 동료들이 싫어해요. (The new employee acts so arrogant that their colleagues dislike them.)
Common Mistakes
체하다 by itself, without a preceding modifier, means to have indigestion. The pronunciation and spelling are identical, so context and particles are your only guides. This is a frequent source of confusion and sometimes humor for learners.먹은 체했다(meogeun chehaetda): I pretended to have eaten. (The act of eating is faked). Here,-은is a modifier for the noun체.먹고 체했다(meokgo chehaetda): I ate and got indigestion. (A sequence of two real events). Here,체했다is the main verb.음식이 체했다(eumsigi chehaetda): The food gave me indigestion. (The food is the subject that caused the state).
-ㄴ/은/는). When it means indigestion, 체하다 acts as a standalone verb.-는 vs. -ㄴ/은)읽는 체하다: Pretending to be reading (right now). You are holding a book, your eyes are on the page, but your mind is elsewhere.읽은 체하다: Pretending to have already read (in the past). Someone asks if you read the report, and you say yes, even though you haven't.
저는 지금 숙제를 한 체하고 있어요, it's grammatically awkward. You mean you are currently pretending to do it, so it should be 숙제를 하는 체하고 있어요.체하다) with Inference (모양이다) or Belief (줄 알다)그가 자는 체한다. (He is pretending to sleep.) |그가 자는 모양이다. (It looks like he is sleeping.) |나는 그가 자는 줄 알았다. (I thought he was sleeping.) |체하다 implies you have inside knowledge that the action is not real. Using 모양이다 implies you are on the outside looking in. Using 줄 알다 is about your own mental state, not the subject's actions.Real Conversations
Scenario 1
A
(Mr. Kim (Manager) doesn't look like he's in a good mood today, did something happen?)
B
(I heard he got chewed out by the Director earlier. That's why he's pretending to be okay in front of us, but his expression is bad.)
A
(No wonder... In that case, it would be better to give him the report tomorrow.)
Analysis
괜찮은 체하다 perfectly describes the manager's attempt to maintain a professional facade despite being upset.*Scenario 2
A
(How was the blind date? lol)
B
(The worst... He was so quiet I was the only one talking the whole time. He just pretended to be listening.)
A
(OMG really? So what did you do?)
B
(I just pretended something urgent came up and left first.)
Analysis
듣는 체만 하다 (with 만 for emphasis on only pretending) shows the date's disinterest. 급한 일 생긴 체하고 is a classic white lie to escape an awkward situation.*Scenario 3
(Mother, to Father): 당신, 아들 방에 한번 가봐요. 시험 기간인데 공부 안 하고 또 게임하는 거 아니에요?
(Honey, go check on our son's room. It's exam period, isn't he playing games again instead of studying?)
(Father, after returning): 책상에 앉아 있긴 한데… 내가 들어가니까 급하게 공부하는 체하더라고. 딱 걸렸지.
(He's sitting at his desk... but when I went in, he hurriedly pretended to be studying. Busted.)
Analysis
공부하는 체하더라고 uses the -더라고 ending to report a personally observed event. It captures the sudden shift in behavior that signals pretense.*Quick FAQ
You would not typically tell your boss, "일하는 체했어요" ("I pretended to work"). However, you might use it about a third party in a professional context, as seen in the office conversation example. Saying it about yourself is a confession of insincerity, so the context must be appropriate, such as joking with a close colleague.
By far, 모르는 체하다 (pretending not to know) and 못 본 체하다 (pretending not to have seen) are the most frequently used. They cover a wide range of social avoidance tactics and are indispensable in daily conversation.
It is not always negative, but it always implies a degree of falseness. Sometimes this falseness is socially necessary (e.g., 재미있는 체하다 at a boss's bad joke to be polite). Other times, it is negative and judgmental (e.g., 잘난 체하다, to act arrogant). The context and the specific verb/adjective determine the connotation.
Yes. You could say 자신감 있는 체하다 보면 진짜 자신감이 생길 때도 있어요 (If you pretend to be confident, sometimes you can develop real confidence). In this case, the pretense is a strategy rather than a malicious deception.
체 used outside of this grammar pattern?체 is almost exclusively used within this pattern or 척하다. You may, however, encounter it in set phrases like 체면 (chaemyeon), which means "face" or social standing, a related but distinct concept. For a learner, focusing on the -ㄴ/은/는 체하다 pattern is the most practical approach.
Formation Table
| Tense | Verb Type | Suffix | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Present
|
Action Verb
|
-는
|
먹는 체하다
|
|
Past
|
Action Verb
|
-ㄴ/은
|
먹은 체하다
|
|
State
|
Adjective
|
-ㄴ/은
|
예쁜 체하다
|
Meanings
This pattern indicates that the subject is feigning an action or state. It implies the action is not genuine.
Feigned Action
Pretending to perform an action.
“모르는 체하지 마세요.”
“아픈 체하고 학교에 안 갔어요.”
Feigned State
Pretending to be in a certain state.
“바쁜 체하지 마.”
“착한 체하는 게 싫어요.”
Reference Table
| Form | Structure | Example |
|---|---|---|
|
Affirmative
|
Verb + (는/ㄴ/은) 체하다
|
자는 체해요
|
|
Negative
|
Verb + (는/ㄴ/은) 체하지 않다
|
자는 체하지 않아요
|
|
Past
|
Verb + (ㄴ/은) 체했다
|
잔 체했어요
|
|
Question
|
Verb + (는/ㄴ/은) 체해요?
|
자는 체해요?
|
|
Command
|
Verb + (는/ㄴ/은) 체하세요
|
자는 체하세요
|
Formality Spectrum
그는 자는 체하고 있습니다. (Describing someone's behavior.)
그는 자는 체하고 있어요. (Describing someone's behavior.)
그는 자는 체하고 있어. (Describing someone's behavior.)
자는 척하네. (Describing someone's behavior.)
The 'Pretend' Web
Actions
- 먹는 체하다 pretending to eat
States
- 바쁜 체하다 pretending to be busy
Examples by Level
자는 체해요.
I am pretending to sleep.
모르는 체하지 마세요.
Please don't pretend not to know.
그는 바쁜 체하고 있어요.
He is pretending to be busy.
아픈 체해서 학교에 안 갔어요.
I pretended to be sick and didn't go to school.
그는 부자인 체하지만 사실은 가난해요.
He acts like he's rich, but he's actually poor.
그녀는 들은 체도 안 했다.
She didn't even pretend to listen.
Easily Confused
They mean the exact same thing.
Common Mistakes
자다 체해요
자는 체해요
먹은 체해요 (for present)
먹는 체해요
체하다다
체하다
아픈 체하다
아픈 체해요
바쁜 체해요
바쁜 체해요
공부한 체해요 (for present)
공부하는 체해요
체함
체해요
모르는 체했다
모르는 체했다
예쁜 체했다
예쁜 체했다
듣는 체 안 했다
들은 체도 안 했다
부자인 체한 사람
부자인 체하는 사람
Sentence Patterns
그는 ___ 체하고 있어요.
Real World Usage
나 자는 체했어 ㅋㅋ
Tense Matters
Smart Tips
Use -체하다 to sound more observant.
Pronunciation
Liaison
The 'ㅎ' in 체하다 often becomes silent or aspirated depending on the preceding consonant.
Skeptical
그는 바쁜 체해요? (Rising tone)
Expressing doubt.
Memorize It
Mnemonic
Think of 'Che' as 'Check'. You are 'checking' if they are really doing it, but they are just 'Che-ing' (pretending).
Visual Association
Imagine a child with their eyes closed, peeking through their fingers. They are 'Che-ing' (pretending to sleep).
Rhyme
If you want to fake it, just add -체하다 to make it.
Story
Min-su didn't want to do dishes. He saw his mom coming. He quickly closed his eyes and started snoring. He was '자는 체하고' (pretending to sleep). His mom knew, but she let him be.
Word Web
Challenge
For the next 5 minutes, try to describe 3 things people around you might be 'pretending' to do.
Cultural Notes
Pretending is often linked to 'Che-myeon' (saving face). Sometimes people pretend to be okay to avoid burdening others.
Derived from the noun '체' (appearance) and '하다' (to do).
Conversation Starters
누가 가장 바쁜 체해요?
Journal Prompts
Common Mistakes
Test Yourself
그는 ___ 체해요.
Score: /1
Practice Exercises
1 exercises그는 ___ 체해요.
Score: /1
Practice Bank
10 exercises그는 항상 자기가 ___ 체해요.
못 / 체했어요 / 들은 / 저는
학교에 안 가려고 ___ 체했어요.
Match the pairs:
Choose the best answer:
일을 다 끝내는 체했어요.
그 사람은 다 ___ 체해서 재수 없어요.
___ 좀 하지 마!
Identify the 'indigestion' usage:
친구를 / 안 / 체했어요 / 본
Score: /10
FAQ (1)
Yes, they are synonyms.
Scaffolded Practice
1
Mastery Progress
Needs Practice
Improving
Strong
Mastered
In Other Languages
ふりをする
Japanese uses a noun-like structure with 'furi'.
fingir
Korean uses a multi-word construction.
so tun als ob
Korean is more compact.
faire semblant de
Korean is more flexible.
假装
Korean is more descriptive.
تظاهر بـ
Korean is more common in daily speech.
Learning Path
Prerequisites
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